Water Quality Issues

Find what you need to know about common problems associated with water quality. Have any questions? Be sure to leave them in the comments below and we’ll assist you with any issues you are having!

Here is a quick description of some of the most common issues with drinking water.

Poor Taste/ Bad Odor:

During the water treatment process, chemicals present, such as iron, copper or zinc, or microbiological contaminants present, such as blue-green algae, can cause drinking water to smell and taste bad. Also disinfecting by-products formed when Chlorine combines with naturally occurring organic matter can cause unpleasant taste.

 Lead:

Commonly entering tap water through corroded pipes, lead can cause great harm to your health. According to some studies, lead in drinking water can be especially dangerous to children and pregnant mothers. Studies through the years have also shown that lead poisoning can cause developmental delays and learning disorders.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia:

Many point to these common types of protozoa for the cause of gastro-intestinal diseases. These contaminants will almost certainly end up in the water system when there has been a sanitation breakdown.

 Chlorine:

Perhaps the most controversial of the water contaminants, it also could be the most prevalent chemical found in the water system. It is commonly used for sanitation purposes to kill off any harmful bacteria in the water supply. However, according to healthguidance.org, it has recently been linked to some cancers such as breast cancer, bladder cancer and rectal cancers.

 Chloramines: 

Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia that is used to disinfect tap water. The EPA reported that chloraminated drinking water had the highest levels of an unregulated chemical family known as iodoacids. One of which, iodoacetic acid, is thought to be the most toxic of all disinfection byproducts (DBPs). This is due to its DNA damaging potential in cell tests.

Pesticides /Herbicides:

Chemical runoff from these toxic products used in agricultural applications end up in our lakes and rivers eventually contaminating our  municipal drinking water supply.  In laboratory testing, over time and with repeat exposure, these chemicals are shown to cause long-term negative health effects that can lead to cancer and organ damage.

National Water Resources for Your Reading Pleasure

• American Water Resources Association (AWRA)
• American Water Works Association (AWWA)
• EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
• National Ground Water Association (NGWA)
• National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA)
• The History of Water Filters
• The Institute for Public Health and Water Research (IPWR)
• US EPA “Surf Your Watershed”
• USGS Water Resources of the United States
• Water Encyclopedia – Science & Issues
• Water Quality Association (WQA)